content: /* ===========================================================
   * JFreeChart : a free chart library for the Java(tm) platform
   * ===========================================================
   *
   * (C) Copyright 2000-2012, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
   *
   * Project Info:  http://www.jfree.org/jfreechart/index.html
   *
   * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
   * under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
   * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
   * (at your option) any later version.
   *
   * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
   * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
   * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Lesser General Public
   * License for more details.
   *
   * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
   * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
   * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301,
   * USA.
   *
   * [Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle and/or its affiliates. 
   * Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.]
   *
   * -------------
   * Timeline.java
   * -------------
   * (C) Copyright 2000-2008, by Object Refinery Limited and Contributors.
   *
   * Original Author:  Bill Kelemen;
   * Contributor(s):   David Gilbert (for Object Refinery Limited);
   *
   * Changes
   * -------
   * 23-May-2003 : Version 1 (BK);
   * 09-Sep-2003 : Changed some method and parameter names (DG);
   * 02-Feb-2007 : Removed author tags all over JFreeChart sources (DG);
   *
   */
  
  package org.jfree.chart.axis;
  
  import java.util.Date;
  
  /**
   * An interface that defines the contract for a Timeline.
   * <P>
   * A Timeline will present a series of values to be used for an axis. Each
   * Timeline must provide transformation methods between domain values and
   * timeline values. In theory many transformations are possible. This interface
   * has been implemented completely in
   * {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline}.
   * <P>
   * A timeline can be used as parameter to a
   * {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.DateAxis} to define the values that this axis
   * supports. As an example, the {@link org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline}
   * implements a timeline formed by segments of equal length (ex. days, hours,
   * minutes) where some segments can be included in the timeline and others
   * excluded. Therefore timelines like "working days" or "working hours" can be
   * created where non-working days or non-working hours respectively can be
   * removed from the timeline, and therefore from the axis. This creates a smooth
   * plot with equal separation between all included segments.
   * <P>
   * Because Timelines were created mainly for Date related axis, values are
   * represented as longs instead of doubles. In this case, the domain value is
   * just the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970, 00:00:00 GMT as
   * defined by the getTime() method of {@link java.util.Date}.
   *
   * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline
   * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.DateAxis
   */
  public interface Timeline {
  
      /**
       * Translates a millisecond (as defined by java.util.Date) into an index
       * along this timeline.
       *
       * @param millisecond  the millisecond.
       *
       * @return A timeline value.
       */
      long toTimelineValue(long millisecond);
  
      /**
       * Translates a date into a value on this timeline.
       *
       * @param date  the date.
       *
       * @return A timeline value
       */
      long toTimelineValue(Date date);
  
      /**
       * Translates a value relative to this timeline into a domain value. The
       * domain value obtained by this method is not always the same domain value
       * that could have been supplied to
       * translateDomainValueToTimelineValue(domainValue).
       * This is because the original tranformation may not be complete
       * reversable.
       *
       * @see org.jfree.chart.axis.SegmentedTimeline
       *
       * @param timelineValue  a timeline value.
       *
       * @return A domain value.
       */
      long toMillisecond(long timelineValue);
  
      /**
       * Returns <code>true</code> if a value is contained in the timeline values.
       *
       * @param millisecond  the millisecond.
       *
       * @return <code>true</code> if value is contained in the timeline and
       *         <code>false</code> otherwise.
       */
      boolean containsDomainValue(long millisecond);
  
      /**
       * Returns <code>true</code> if a date is contained in the timeline values.
       *
       * @param date  the date to verify.
       *
       * @return <code>true</code> if value is contained in the timeline and
       *         <code>false</code>  otherwise.
       */
      boolean containsDomainValue(Date date);
  
      /**
       * Returns <code>true</code> if a range of values are contained in the
       * timeline.
       *
       * @param fromMillisecond  the start of the range to verify.
       * @param toMillisecond  the end of the range to verify.
       *
       * @return <code>true</code> if the range is contained in the timeline or
       *         <code>false</code> otherwise
       */
      boolean containsDomainRange(long fromMillisecond, long toMillisecond);
  
      /**
       * Returns <code>true</code> if a range of dates are contained in the
       * timeline.
       *
       * @param fromDate  the start of the range to verify.
       * @param toDate  the end of the range to verify.
       *
       * @return <code>true</code> if the range is contained in the timeline or
       *         <code>false</code> otherwise
       */
      boolean containsDomainRange(Date fromDate, Date toDate);
  
  }
  